The Nation’s Capital Might Legalize Marijuana in November

By
April M. Short, AlterNet
on August 7, 2014

Despite Congress’ wishes, the residents of the nation’s capital already decriminalized marijuana, treating small amounts of possession similar to a parking violation with a fine. Now the District may be about to follow Colorado and Washington state and legalize it altogether.

More than 57,000 DC voters, organized by the lobby group DC Cannabis, signed a petition to get a pot legalization initiative (Initiative 71) onto the upcoming ballot. That’s more than double the number of signatures required, so today the DC Board of Elections ruled that the initiative is valid and will appear on the November ballot.

It has a good chance of passing, since polls show more than 60 percent of DC voters in favor of legalization.

As with alcohol, the new law would allow adults 21 and over to use marijuana. It would also allow those adults to possess up to two ounces of marijuana and cultivate a maximum of six marijuana plants—though only three of those plants can be fully mature.

Unlike alcohol (and unlike pot in WA and CO), the current initiative fails to address how DC would tax and regulate the newly legal substance. So, the DC Council is considering a second bill that would tax and regulate the sale of marijuana.